Baron-Cohen Flashcards
What are some autistic characteristics?
Delayed language, delayed learning, avoiding eye contact, irregular emotional responses.
What is Theory of Mind?
Individuals with ASC lack the ability to understand what is going on in someone else’s mind. Someone has a separate mind to your own and does not see/experience the world the same.
What test was originally used the prove lack of theory of mind within ASC people?
Sally-Anne test
What did Francesca Happe do?
She developed a more advanced Theory of Mind test. For 8-9 year olds, judges mental state rather than physical state. ASC have more difficulty with mental than physical.
What was the aim?
To extend Happe’s research, investigate if high-functioning adults with ASC did have a theory of mind.
What research methods were used?
Quasi experiment, matched pairs design, snapshot study.
What were the IV’s?
Someone with autism, someone without autism.
What was the sample?
3 groups:
16 high-functioning adults with ASC- self selected through magazine (National Autistic Society) and doctor.
50 ‘normal’ adults, age matched with ASC, random sampling- subject panel at Cambridge.
10 people with Tourettes Syndrome, age matched, self selected from a clinic in London.
What were group 2 and 3 for?
They were control groups to make sure ASC is what affected scores on the Theory of Mind tests.
What materials were used?
25 photos of eye region from different faces (male and female). Standardised- 15x10cm, black and white.
Identify the mental state out of 2 terms, shown for 3 seconds.
What were 2 results?
The ASC did less well on the eyes task.
Normal and TS did about the same on average on eyes task.
What was the Strange Stories task (task 2)?
ASC and TS groups were tested. They answered questions based on characters thinking and physical events.
What were 2 results of the Strange Stories task?
ASC had more difficulty (supports validity of eyes task)
No participants in TS made any mistakes, ppts with ASC were significantly impaired.
What was the Gender Recognition of eyes task (task 3)?
Control task- only ASC took part, identify gender of the eyes, involved face perception (not mind reading). ASC don’t perform well, don’t perform well on eyes task either.
What was the Basic Emotion Recognition task (task 4)?
Control task- ASC took part, identify basic emotions in whole faces- recognise emotional states in a basic state.
